What can cause lung cancer | what answered

What can cause lung cancer

What can cause lung cancer, It is common knowledge that smoking causes lung cancer. Ask any random person on the street about the causes of lung cancer and smoking would be the first answer. It is true that almost 90% of all cases of lung cancer are directly caused by smoking. However, some of the patients suffering from this type of cancer have never even touched a cigarette in their lives. On the flip side, you might even know someone who has been smoking for years and years yet shows no signs of lung cancer. Such contradictions to the common perception do make you realize that there are some other causes of lung cancer.

Secondhand Cigarette Smoke

Secondhand cigarette smoke, or passive smoking as it is called in many circles, is a leading cause of lung cancer fatalities. In essence, it may make you think that the disease can be attributed to smoking in this case as well but the patient is not actually smoking. He/she is only inhaling the smoke being puffed by someone else near him/her. People who have a family member who smokes regularly have almost a 30% chance that they would suffer from lung cancer in the future.

Genetics

Genetics can be the root cause of every type of cancer. If you have a parent or sibling who suffers from lung cancer, the chances of you developing the disease increase significantly. Still, the overall number of cases of lung cancer caused purely by genetics is under 2% making it one of the least common causes. In most of the cases, the people who are diagnosed with lung cancer because of genetics aren’t firsthand smokers.

Environment

Air pollution is also a leading cause of lung cancer. Being exposed to heavy air pollution in the area you live or work directly impacts your breathing and subsequently your lungs. The incidence is highest among people who are exposed to harmful chemicals and gases on a regular basis. The most prominent example of this is workers at a nuclear plant where all sorts of chemicals as well as radiation are present.

Radon

Sticking to radiation, radon is also a major cause of lung cancer. People who work at nuclear plants or other places where uranium is used commonly are at high risk of developing lung cancer. After smoking, exposure to radon is the most common cause of lung cancer. This is why it is advised that people working with radioactive material keep their faces covered with masks at all times.

Smoking

Last, but certainly not the least of the causes of lung cancer is smoking. As mentioned above, 90% of the cases of lung cancer occur in people who are regular smokers. It cannot be emphasized enough that people who smoke are at an extremely high risk of suffering from lung cancer at some point in their lives. Smoking includes primarily cigarettes but people who smoke cigars and marijuana are also at risk.

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